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Three Bangladeshi children die after receiving measles vaccine

Officials in Barisal, Banlgadesh, reported that three children recently died after being injected with a measles vaccine at Kalikapur Community Health Clinic in Hijla upazila of Barisal.

The victims’ parents alleged that a health assistant, Taslima Begum, pushed the vaccine into to their children from a broken ampoule, TheDailyStar.net reports.

According to witnesses, the infants became sick and began vomiting shortly after receiving the vaccine at 2:30 p.m.

They were later admitted to Hijla Upazila Health Complex. Officials said two of the children died around 1 a.m. while the third died around 2:30 a.m.

Hizla Upazila health officer Shuvangkar Baroi confirmed the death of three infants but noted that cause of death has yet to be determined.

Baroi told TheDailyStar.net that a five member probe committee has been formed to investigate into the deaths and that they are due to issue a report soon.

Civil Surgeon Dr Anil Chandra Datta told TheDailyStar.net that a separate six member probe committee has been formed to investigate the reason behind the deaths.

Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. It remains one of the leading causes of death among young children globally, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine. An estimated 164,000 people, mostly children under the age five, died from measles in 2008, according to the World Health Organization.